"The Human Body as Microcosm in India, Greek Cosmology, and 16th Century Europe"

Alex Wayman's article, "The Human Body as Microcosm in India, Greek Cosmology, and 16th Century Europe" from History of Religions explores and discusses the usage of the zodiac signs within the human body, specifically the head, heart, and feet. It talks about the certain overlaps that are found in Indian and Greek thinking and how they both correlate together and then how that is presented within the though of England during the 16th century.

He begins his argument by addressing, what he calls, as "the problem". Which is understanding how, we as humans, can be seen as in the image of God. How is that possible and feasible. He then addresses the same issue found in Indian culture, where in the Upanisad, beginning religious concepts for Hinduism, the atman, or self, expresses "Thou art that". (Similar concept of being confused with how we are in the image of God. Did/can we make mountains or rivers because we are "thou art that"?) And lastly he connects the same problem to Greek thought, in that we are connected to the cosmos or that the cosmos are in us, which brings up the problem that we, as humans, die whereas the universe does not.

He address these issues first by looking at India and how they recognize the microcosm and the macrocosm. Stating that in India "truth is reached by going within, especially within the heart" (174) and he goes further to address that in Indian culture there are specific elements of the body that are praised above the other. For example the head and the upper part of the body are more important however the feet hold some of the same significance as the head. It also comments on the idea of the mandala which is found within the head, a symbol representing the universe, thus the universe is within the head. He relates this the Greeks influence of the zodiac into Indian cultures.

He focuses more on the implications that the microcosm has in England toward the end of his article. He specifically focuses on Jacob Boehme, who he describes as the "Protestant Mystic" and how the idea of the microcosm is used in order to understand and "the problem" within Christian thinking. Thus stating that the there are two bodies, the physical body and then the spiritual body and within that ideal the spiritual body is the part of us that is considered "in God's image".

Plenty more is discussed in this article and it gives good insight into how the microsom is used in English thought but then also the other regions and areas that use this same concept in order to help fix "their problem". This article can be found in JSTOR.